In November 2019, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) directed the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) to develop the scope of action and draft a purpose and need statement for non-trawl area management during the GAP’s March and April 2020 meetings. The GAP then submitted Informational Report 4 in June 2020 for Council consideration and scheduling […]
On December 12, 2017, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a biological opinion (BiOp) on Reinitiation of Section 7 Consultation Regarding the Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. This BiOp addresses the requirement in Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act to ensure that any Federal agency action “is not likely to jeopardize […]
At its June and September 2019 meetings the Council received public comment requesting relief from the adverse effects of harvest specifications for these two stocks. Affected trawl participants south of 40°10’ N. lat. requested a higher annual vessel limit of cowcod given the difficulty avoiding incidental bycatch as the stock rebuilds. They expressed concern the […]
On May 2, 2017 United States Fish and Wildlife Service published its Biological Opinion (B.O.) addressing observed take of endangered short-tailed albatross in commercial groundfish longline fisheries managed under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The Incidental Take Statement in the B.O. lists nondiscretionary term and conditions, one of which mandates that the Council […]
Final Coho rebuilding plans Strait of Juan de Fuca Natural Coho Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BJ05 (October 2019) Queets River Natural Coho Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BJ05 (October 2019) Snohomish River Natural Coho Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BJ05 (October 2019)
At each September meeting, the Council considers proposed changes to the Pacific halibut Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) and annual regulations for IPHC regulatory Area 2A (Washington, Oregon, California) to allocate the Pacific halibut catch limit between treaty Indian and non-Indian harvesters, and among non-Indian commercial and recreational (sport) fisheries. The Council takes final action on […]
Final Chinook rebuilding plans Klamath River Fall Chinook Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BI04 (July 2019) Sacramento River Fall Chinook Salmon Rebuilding Plan; Regulatory Identifier Number 0648-BI04 (July 2019) Proposed rule February 4, 2020
In March 2016, the Council recommended that trawl gear regulations be updated to reflect the individual accountability provided by the trawl catch share program. Specifically, the Council recommended: allowing vessels to carry and use multiple trawl gears types on a single trip (fish caught using different gears must be stowed separately) eliminating minimum mesh size […]
Based on issues identified in its first review of the trawl catch share program (review of Amendment 20 to the FMP), the Council undertook a number of follow-on actions (see Section 5.0 of the review document, completed in November 2017). One of these issues was related to gear switching in the shoreside individual fishing quoa […]
In September 2016, the Council changed management of the at-sea whiting sector allocations of darkblotched rockfish and Pacific ocean perch to set-asides, while maintaining the allocation formulas in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan for these two stocks to determine the set-aside amounts. Amendment 21-3 was included as part of this action. The final rule was published […]